The season is more than a third past, and it is impossible to decipher where the Red Wings are headed.

Can they make the playoffs? That was in doubt just Thursday when the Red Wings blew a third-period lead and lost in the waning seconds at home to the NHL's version of plankton - the Columbus Bluejackets.

It was the second time the Red Wings lost to Columbus at home this season. It's a big deal because those are the only two road victories the Bluejackets have secured this season. In other words, everybody else in the amazingly tight Western Conference is beating Columbus at home - so the Red Wings must, too. They also had a six-game winless steak going. Then, here we have these last two games. Hockey brilliance?

Not exactly. The Red Wings scored a couple early goals on deflections Sunday. But they did lose the lead, and trail, 3-2. They also rallied. It was a character win.

Vancouver was rested, too. The Canucks hadn't played since Friday night - shutting out Nashville. In addition, Vancouver came into the game with just three regulation losses. Only Chicago, Anaheim and Boston had fewer entering Sunday - and Vancouver played four more games than the Bruins.

Granted, the NHL's lockout-shortened season schedule is brutal, not only because it has a lot of back-to-back games, but also because there is hardly a span with extended days off.

And it's true - the Red Wings have many injuries. They could use Darren Helm's jump. Power forwards Todd Bertuzzi and Johan Franzen would look good in front of the net, especially with a man advantage. Defenseman Kyle Quincey's performance has been up and down this season, but the Red Wings' defensive corps is unquestionably better when he is in the lineup rather than scratched because of injury. None of the above-mentioned players were on the ice Sunday.

Sure, Nicklas Lidstrom, one of the greatest defenseman of all time, and clearly the best to ever to wear the winged-wheel on the crest of his sweater, has retired.

How can anybody expect the Red Wings to perform under such mitigating circumstances?

The excuses are certainly there for the Red Wings. And truthfully, they have used them often during their down moments this season.

Too often.

There has been so much whining about what the Red Wings don't have, it's often overlooked what they do possess.

If the Olympics were this year instead of next, Pavel Datsyuk (Russia), Valtteri Filpulla (Finland) and Niklas Kronwall and Zetterberg (Sweden) would play prominent roles for their countries. Jonathan Ericsson, often the source consternation among Red Wings' fans in the past for being turnover machine, has become a solid defenseman.

The Red Wings have added a very good forward. Damien Brunner is having a huge season. He has 10 goals, including two Sunday. It put him in the Top 10 in that category in the NHL, and is more than the big fish the Red Wings didn't sign in free agency this past summer - the $98 million man, Zach Parise, of the Minnesota Wild (he has just seven).

Brunner, a 26-year-old native of Switzerland, who starred in Europe, has great hands.

"I am happy they are going in right now," Brunner said. "I am playing with some great players. Hopefully, I can take a lot from this and just keep going."

There are many things the Red Wings need to maintain. Perhaps the most important is more consistent play in goal from Jimmy Howard, who is in a contract year and must step forward. He has at times, like Friday when he was brilliant against Nashville. Other times, he has faltered.